Faucet



Aug. 6, 1940. R. H. MUELLER FAUCET Filred April 22, 1939 Robe/pill. MIeZZeI Patented Aug. 6, 1940 lUNITED STATES FAUGETy Y. 'Robert H. Mueller, Decatur, Ill.,v assigner Vto* s' Mueller Co., Decatur, nois Ill., a corporation of lili-- Application April 22, 1939, Serial No.`269,540 p 1 Claim.

Thepresent invention relates to faucets land is an improvement upon the construction disclosed in Patent No. 1,872,787, Mueller et al., August 23, 1932.

An object of the invention is the provision of a faucet having all of the advantages of the patented structure but which consists of fewer parts and therefore provides a simplified and Vless expensive construction. lo Another object is to provide an improved structure in which the spring which normally maintains the valve upon its seat, also functions to compress the packing about the valve stem. Furthermore, the spring is so arranged with respect to the rest of the structure that it will not retard or interfere with the rotation of the valve actuating stem during the opening and closing of the valve.v

The present construction; While incorporating the above advantagesfat the same time insures the faucet of being opened and closed without grinding or Wearing down the valve. Furthermore, the spring insures that the valve will be securely closed and maintained in closed position by pressure of the spring on the valve independently of direct pressure from the valve operating means.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will now be morefully described,

ing, 1n which:

Figure 1 is a View partly in vertical section of a faucet embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is and stem. p

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral I0 designates generally the faucet embodying the present invention and consisting of a body pora disassembled view of the valve any suitable source of liquid supply. This inlet I2 communicates with a discharge spout I3 through an internal valve seat I4. The body II is provided with a tubular extension I5 located above the valve seat I4 and coaxially positioned' with respect thereto.

The tubular extension I5 has a substantially smooth bore except that it has two oppositely disposed grooves I6 which cooperate with a pair of ribs Il' extending outwardly from the sides of a valve plunger or piston I8. This plunger is thus longitudinally and non-rotatably slidable in the tubular extension I5 and is provided with a reduced depending portion I9 constituting a valve carrying portion which is adapted to be reference being had to the accompanying draw-` tion Il having an inlet I2 communicating with moved to and from the seat I4. Preferably the extreme lower end of the reduced portion I9 is recessedto receive. a valve washer 20 which is removably secured in the recess by means of a screw 2I. l "5 The upper end of the-plunger I8 is substantially cup-shaped in formation and-is provided with a centrally disposed internally threaded recess 22. The upper vopen end of the vtubular eX- tension I5 is closed by a cap 23 and this capis provided with av centrally located opening 24 ywhichis coaxial with the-tubular extension and the valve seat I4. A valve operating stem.25` passes through the openingA 24 and hasy a depending threaded head 26 extending within and 15 threadedly engaging the recessed portion 22l of the plunger I8. l

The cap 23 is provided with a circular recess 21 surrounding the opening 24 and .withinwhich is located packing 23 for the stem 25. .A packing "20 washer or follower 29 is-provided with a reduced upper` portion 3(1, which directly engagesvv the packing 28 and is of a diameter to enter the recess 2'I. The washer is also provided with an enlarged lower portion 3| which constitutes a 25 stop for limiting the upward movement of the portion 3U within therecess 21.

A coil spring .32 is mounted in the upper end of the tubular extension I5 and surrounds thel lower end of the stem 25. The upper end of this 30 coil spring engages the washer or follower 29 while the lower end of the spring rests upon the upper edge of the plunger I8. The spring 32 is always under compression and normally urges the valve 20 toward its seat I4. Furthermore, 35 the spring has the additional function of keeping the packing 27 properly compressed about the stem 25. The fact that the enlarged portion 3| of the washer is spaced from the inner wall of the cap, permits limited upward axiall movement 40 of the washer whereby the spring 32 will normally exert suflicient pressure upon the packing to keep the latter compressed about the stem. When the packing becomes so worn that the spring will move the portion 3l of the washer into 45 contact with the cap, then the packing should be replaced. v

With the construction as thus far described, it will be observed that the spring 32 normally maintains the valve 20 upon its seat I4. When 50 it is desired to open the valve it is merely necessary to rotate the handle 33, which in turn will rotate the Vstem 25. Rotation of the threaded head 25 will move the valve plunger I8 upwardly against the tension of the spring 32. By reason slo direct vpressure yfrom the stein 25.

35 engages the Washer v36.

of the rib and groove structure I6 and I 'I, the valve will be prevented from rotation and thus grinding of the washer 20 will be prevented on both opening and closing movements of the valve.

It is desired that the valve be held closed by the action of the spring 32, that is, that the spring hold the valve closed independently of direct pressure from the stem 25. This is accomplishedaloy providing the cap .23 with an upwardlyopening recess l34 surrounding the stem 25, and also embracing an annular flange 35 `constituting a depending portion of the handle 33. Upon operation of the handle 33 the lower end of the nange 35 is moved into and out lof contact with a thrust washer 36 positioned in the base of the recess 34. l f

Referring particularly to Figure 1, it will be observed that in the closedposition of the valve the lower end of the annular ange 35 is spaced from the washer 36. Thus the valve 213 is held in seated position by the spring s2 and not by v When the handle'e33is initially-rotated to V unseat the valve, the -iiange 35 will be drawn down against the lwasher-36. Further vrotation of the handle and stem 25 willthen lift the plunger I3 with 4the valve/'2| from its seat I4. Conversely, when the valve is tobe closed, rotation ,of the stem 25 will positively move the plunger I8 downwardly until the valve2 engages its seat 'E4 ,and .the flange Further rotation of the handlei33 and stem 25 will then effecta slight lifting movement of the stem .25 and thus raise thelower end of thepiiange 35 away from the Washer. Thus a slight lost motion between the stem and ,bodyis provided which assures that the a-unit in the extension I against the tension of the spring 32. Thus, if for any reason, an eX- cessiv-e pressure is developed on the valve 20, this will be automatically relieved and thereby prevent the destruction of the faucet.

It will be further observed that the spring 32 is ci suiiicient diameter to prevent contact with the stern 25 and the head 26. Furthermore, since the lower end of the coil spring 32 directly en gages the upper edge of' the plunger-I8 and since the latter is slidably andk non-rotatablyfmovable inthe tubular extension I 5, there is no frictional contact between the spring and the valve operating means to retard the closing and opening movements of the valve. Neither does the spring function to force any rotating element into contact with a non-rotating part, which would likewise tend to retard the opening and closing movements of the valve.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction shown in .the drawing, also, that the phraseology employed 'ing the outer end of said extension and provided `with a stern receiving opening and a recess surrounding the opening and facingoutwardlyfrom said cap, a stem passing through the cap opening and threadedly engageable with said valve, ahandle connected to said stem and provided with a depending-flange surrounding saidstem .and located in saidrecess, and a coil spring .mounted .in` said extension between said cap: rand plunger and normally urging the plunger towardI the valve seat, said handle. fiange beingspaced from the bottom of the recess in the cap when the valve is. completelyl seated.,

ROBERT H. vMUEII'JLER. 

